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Finding a ghostwriter for your book can be a daunting task. And if it's your first book, you may be wondering what to say when advertising for a writer to help you-especially if you want to attract the right person for the job.

Steps

1

Take out an ad online. Craigslist.org is free and there are other sites or writing communities where you can post your ad for a nominal fee.

2

Introduce yourself. Be personable. Visualize yourself telling the writer who you are and why you're writing a book. You don't have to use sensitive information, just a first name and a quick bio will do.

3

Be clear on what your book will be about. In 1-2 sentences, tell the writer what kind of book it is (memoir, autobiography, how-to, romance thriller), what genre it is (fiction, non-fiction), and who you're writing it for (teenage girls, men over 35, dessert-lovers,etc).

4

State how you intend to publish the book. Research and decide whether you want to self-publish or publish traditionally. It is good for the writer to know regarding your financial arrangements.

5

Let the writer know your project budget. If you don't have one, check out other articles on how to publish a book to get an idea of how much investment writing and publishing a book will require.

6

Describe any other requirements you have. Doing this can filter out unqualified writers to save yourself time. For example, you may have requirements based on location, gender, topic familiarity, and so on. Be clear about these upfront.

7

Inform writers of your time frame (if any). The time it takes to write a book varies. An informational e-book can take 1-3 months where a full-length novel can take 6-12 months or more.

8

Let writers know how much you already have done. Have you already written an outline? Do you have material in blogs, websites or journals that you want to use? Or is it all inside your head still? This will determine the feasibility of the time frame and help you figure out potential methods for working together.

9

Be crystal clear on what you need. Remember, ghostwriters are solely writers. If you need editing, cover design, formatting or someone to upload your book onto Kindle, those are separate job descriptions, and you may have to seek out people who specialize in them.

10

Be cautious of spammers. If you're using Craigslist, make sure to avoid spammers by requiring applicants to put a specific headline in the e-mail, like "Rolling Red Thunder," to distinguish who's who in your email inbox.

Community Q&A

Tips

Believe in yourself. Have a vision for your book. When things get hard or seem slow, your passion for your project will be the fuel to keep you inspired and motivated.

Do your research. Look up the going rate for a ghostwriter online. The cost depends on variables such as the kind of book, the length, and the time frame you want it to be completed.

Know what publishing route you want to take. Self-publishing is worlds apart from the traditional way. For example, if you go traditional, you need a literary agent, someone to write a query letter, and a book proposal.

Be likeable. If your ad sounds pretentious, you will drive away good writers. Humility is priceless. You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Let people know you're serious. Be detailed, clear, and concise about who you are, what you want to write/your idea, and what your goals are with your book.

Article Info

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has also been viewed 6,503 times.